Live-In Rheumatoid Arthritis Care | Rheumatoid Arthritis Care Within the Security and Comforts of Home
Older adults who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis endure chronic pain and swollen joints nearly every day. With the help of FCP Live-In, seniors can live independently in their homes as they navigate the ups and downs of the progressive disease.
FCP Live-In is a full-service in-home care agency. We provide a wide range of services that include:
Personal Care Services
- Assist with bathing, grooming, dressing, toileting
- Assist with mobility, transfer from bed to wheelchair
- Incontinence Care
- Medication management
Light Housekeeping Services
- Preparing nutritious meals
- Changing and making beds
- Grocery shopping
- Run errands, provide transportation
- Clean kitchen and bathrooms
- Laundry
- Sweeping and vacuuming floors
Companion Services
- Accompany client to medical appointments
- Accompany client to social and recreational activities
- Encourage exercise, as directed by a health care provider
- Engage in meaningful conversation
- Provide emotional support and companionship
We screen our caregivers and make sure they are a good match for our clients. If you want your loved one to have quality care from a leading in-home care agency, contact FCP-Live-In today. To learn more about our Rheumatoid Arthritis Care services, call us at 1 (866) 559-9492.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Results from Immune System Attack
The immune system works to fight off infection, viruses and anything else that would harm the body. But, just as it can put up a defense, the immune system can also attack the body.
Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. As a result, rheumatoid arthritis inflames the tissue lining inside of joints, such as the knees, hips, feet, hands, and wrists. In severe cases, rheumatoid arthritis can harm the eyes, lungs, heart and other parts of the body.
As the disease progresses, joint tissue can become so damaged that the joints loosen and become unstable. People diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis also have the potential to lose mobility if their joints stop working altogether.
This is one reason why rheumatoid arthritis is called a “systemic disease” because it can affect the entire body system, according to the Arthritis Foundation.
Signs and Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Pain and stiffness in smaller joints like fingers and toes are the first signs of rheumatoid arthritis. However, the number and severity of symptoms vary with each person. Some of the most common signs and symptoms include:
- Tenderness and swelling in the joints
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
- Weakness
- Weight loss
Research suggests that people who have a family history of rheumatoid arthritis, people who smoke, and those exposed to second-hand smoke, chemicals, pollution, and other environmental factors are at risk for developing rheumatoid arthritis.
While rheumatoid arthritis affects adults of all ages, older adults tend to suffer from the progressive disease more than those in the younger population.
Seniors, however, can still live independently with the help of trained in-home caregivers who can help them as they navigate through the different stages of rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Can Be Treated But Not Cured
Frequent flare-ups that cause pain and swelling can decrease a person’s quality of life. For instance, rheumatoid arthritis can cause feet to swell so badly that a person can barely walk or cannot walk at all. What’s more, the disease brings double misery when symptoms occur on both sides of the body at the same time.
Besides causing pain, rheumatoid arthritis places people who have it at risk for more complications. For instance, a 2017 study found that serious health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and infections, such as pneumonia place people with rheumatoid arthritis at a higher risk of death.
Rheumatoid arthritis can be treated with medications called disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARD). In addition, people with rheumatoid arthritis may undergo physical or occupational therapy and come under the care of a rheumatologist who specializes in treating rheumatoid arthritis.
Older adults who take DMARDS, however, must be carefully monitored by doctors to ensure that the anti-rheumatic drugs do not interfere with medications prescribed for other chronic health conditions.
Millions of U.S. Adults Affected by Rheumatoid Arthritis
Around 54.4 million men and women in the United States have been diagnosed by a doctor as having rheumatoid arthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Women are two to three times more likely to have rheumatoid arthritis than men while men are more likely to develop the disease later in life.
Generally, joint damage is a major consequence of rheumatoid arthritis. The Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center reports rheumatoid arthritis causes joint damage in 80 percent to 85 percent of patients, with most of the damage occurring during the first two years of the disease.
Joint damage and other rheumatoid arthritis complications can also interfere with a person’s ability to work. Researchers in one study found rheumatoid arthritis was among the top three reasons that stopped a person from working or limit a person’s ability to work.
The study, published in the journal, Disability Health, reviewed data of about 20 million people who reported a work disability. Researchers found that 18 percent of the people said rheumatoid arthritis affected their ability to work. The study also found that 21 percent of the people said depression prevented them from working while 30 percent said back and neck problems affected their ability to work.
Rheumatoid arthritis carries life-threatening consequences, especially for older adults. In-home caregivers, however, can help seniors improve their quality of life by preparing nutritious meals, helping them with mobility and other daily life activities.
In-Home Care an Option for Older Adults With Rheumatoid Arthritis
Patience and understanding are needed when helping an older loved one with rheumatoid arthritis. Helping a loved one to walk, transporting them to medical appointments, and providing emotional support are just a few of the many tasks required by family caregivers.
If your loved one has rheumatoid arthritis, you may decide that staff at a long-term care facility can do the daily caregiving tasks that you cannot do or feel uncomfortable doing. However, the question is whether staff members can provide the constant personalized attention your loved one needs because staff must attend to other residents.
If you want your loved one to have customized care, an in-home care agency can provide this service. In-home caregivers can help your loved stay active, eat nutritiously, and follow doctor’s orders—all in the comfort of a familiar environment.
At FCP Live-In, we understand your concerns over your loved one’s well-being. Our team of highly skilled caregivers along with our 24-hour professional support system can help your loved one manage rheumatoid arthritis in the security of your loved one’s home.
About FCP Live-In And Our Rheumatoid Arthritis Care Services
We have provided the ultimate solution for assisted Rheumatoid Arthritis Care services since 1997. Our live-in Rheumatoid Arthritis Care services agency is committed to providing a unique and customized In-Home Rheumatoid Arthritis Care services approach to senior care with the goal of a lifestyle that provides enjoyment for the one in care, and families with peace of mind.
FCP Live-In is a Live-In Home Care company with over two decades of experience specializing in elderly care needs within the home. Our live-in caregiver staff provides an insurance policy of safe and supportive care, along with a 24/7 professional support system that is there for the client and the live-in caregiver at all times.
For more information about our Rheumatoid Arthritis Care services contact FCP Live-In today at 1 (866) 559-9492 or please fill out the form below.
Source Links:
https://www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/types/rheumatoid-arthritis/what-is-rheumatoid-arthritis.php
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5357293/
https://www.arthritis.org/Documents/Sections/About-Arthritis/arthritis-facts-stats-figures.pdf
https://www.hopkinsarthritis.org/arthritis-info/rheumatoid-arthritis/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28476583